Overview
- CNBC’s Sara Eisen, who asked Tuesday whether destroying a “civilization” would be an upside or downside risk for investors, faced swift condemnation from journalists and viewers after the clip spread online.
- Iran accepted a two‑week ceasefire before President Trump’s 8 p.m. Tuesday deadline and temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the White House to pause a planned attack.
- Following Wednesday’s relief rally, the Dow rose about 1,200 points and the S&P 500 gained roughly 2.4% as traders reacted to the stand‑down and the partial restoration of oil flows.
- The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil, so the disruption drove U.S. gas prices above $4.10 a gallon on average before the ceasefire eased pressure.
- Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the U.S. had prepared strikes on Iran’s power plants, bridges, and other infrastructure if talks failed, a stance that drew warnings about legal and humanitarian costs.